I wrote a review of MBDTF for the upcoming issue of Melt. Will post later.

Wow, where to begin. Firstly, I was really looking forward to hating this album. From the pitched-up, overly enunciated “white” voice that asks/sings “can we get much higher?” on the opening track, it seemed like the usual mix of obnoxious self-assurance and musical naivety that has rendered me less than a fan. The video for ‘Power’, which was released as a promo for the album in May, was an interesting enough portrait of Yee’s egocentricity, but even the use of King Crimson’s ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ in that song came off as simply weird for weird’s sake. Appropriating a song from one of the most influential “progressive rock” albums of all time to symbolize one’s own “progressiveness” in the world of mainstream pop is a move that only the hollowest of human-shaped, money vacuums could pull off. So, when I “acquired” the album last week, I was expecting to jam on a verse or two and then delete the fuck out of it. That’s when things got complicated.

At least seven of the top music magazines have given West’s manic manifesto PERFECT scores. On the album’s release date, Pitchfork.com issued an accompanying term paper length philosophical inquiry in place of an album review, that actually made a hell of a lot of sense. The consensus among our time’s top purveyors of culture seems to be that it’s just too damn hard to argue against his extravagance, thus it is legitimate.

Excess is certainly a central theme throughout, both lyrically and in composition/production. The excessive and elite guestlist (Rihanna, Jay-Z, Elton John, Bon Iver, Kid Cudi, RZA, etc.), the over the top lyrics and the sheer scale of the sounds he is using come together in a listening experience not far from seeing a Salvador Dali painting for the first time in the 1930s. The first third of the album leading up to the most accessible track ‘All of The Lights’ seems sane enough, but by Nicki Minaj’s ecstatic, dancehall flow on ‘Monster’ that sounds crazy enough yet too well written to be on a Die Antwoord track, it is clear that someone has dosed the studio water cooler. From there, four more tracks break the six minute mark (that’s two regular pop songs each, for those of you counting) and fill time between Kanye’s most abrasive, offensive and impassioned words to date with long, instrumental/noise zone-out sessions unlike anything heard before, let alone on a hip-hop record.

I’m admittedly struggling for an original thought here after reading like twenty LONG reviews of this album but Bjork’s last record Volta keeps coming to mind. While certainly more subdued (definitely more enlightened), that album touched on some similar vibes and being produced by Timbaland and all, it had the same musical worlds colliding with an artful (and not corny) outcome. Or maybe it’s just the fact that both albums have the same red field for a cover and the horn section parts sound nearly identical. At any rate Kanye’s attempt to marry hip-hop and high art is truly something to behold.

‘Fantasy’ is the most jarring, belittling and all around NOT easy to listen to mainstream pop album that I have ever heard, which like the big boys of the print/web press are spelling out, equates a welcomed wake up. Without doubt, this is one of those love it/hate it situations, or at least a “value it’s artistic merit”/ hate it split. Michael Jackson. Kanye West. Lady Gaga. In that order, for now at least.

That's a good review. I feel the same way. After reading a million reviews and listening through it's kind of hard to know where to start. The best reviews are written after about 6 months or more (or 20 years later) of continued listening and revisiting. Exile on Main Street got some bizarre crappy reviews upon it's initial release and I remember Scrooged (it was on last night, so it's topical) getting completely panned when I saw it at the theater. Seems to be pretty common and make complete sense why our initial reaction is only the tip of the iceberg. That's why all reviews kind of inherently suck.

_________________People to whom nothing has ever happened cannot understand the unimportance of events.

I think all the reviews could almost be summed up to something along the lines of:

With mainstream hip-hop falling further and further towards being nothing more than adult-themed nursery rhymes, it's gonna take someone with the sway of Ye to shake shit up a bit, and this was the record to do it.

or even more concise:

It's gonna take a Kanye to undo some of the damage Wil.i.am has done to music.

That's a good review. I feel the same way. After reading a million reviews and listening through it's kind of hard to know where to start. The best reviews are written after about 6 months or more (or 20 years later) of continued listening and revisiting. Exile on Main Street got some bizarre crappy reviews upon it's initial release and I remember Scrooged (it was on last night, so it's topical) getting completely panned when I saw it at the theater. Seems to be pretty common and make complete sense why our initial reaction is only the tip of the iceberg. That's why all reviews kind of inherently suck.

Thanks, I cant image that people will still be raving about this album in 20 years. I don't think it's a classic. It's really charged by context. If you take it out everything you know about the story of the album and the history of it's creator, its just kind of barely decent. But for HIM and NOW it makes a lot more sense.

CharlesJunk wrote:

I think all the reviews could almost be summed up to something along the lines of:

With mainstream hip-hop falling further and further towards being nothing more than adult-themed nursery rhymes, it's gonna take someone with the sway of Ye to shake shit up a bit, and this was the record to do it.

or even more concise:

It's gonna take a Kanye to undo some of the damage Wil.i.am has done to music.

Ha, yeah. All the lil-, young- and -eezys too. Should be funny to witness all these posers trying to step it up in the post-MBDTF world. Also, I'm sure Gaga is questioning the shit out of herself right now.

I'll stop talking about this in a minute, but I agree that maybe we won't look back that this later and say these were some amazing songs that we need to hear again, but it's culturally significant.

Rap has always lyrically showcased a boastful bravado about how amazing the artist is, as stated by himself, but this is one of those rare occasions where he's boastful, but constantly admitting he's equally flawed, and he's ashamed of some of his behaviour.

Instead of his music being an advertisement for why he deserves money and fame, he turned a mirror on himself and looked at everything. Finally, for a minute, hip-hop became less fake posturing and actually started 'keepin' it real'.

Again...it took some balls. Granted those balls still have diamonds in their teeth, but still...

For the record, I own the record and I have listened to it. My comments about his lip syncing aren't in reference to other people commenting on his lip syncing. I was unaware that it was an issue in the past until I recently saw him perform on snl. It sucked balls.

_________________People to whom nothing has ever happened cannot understand the unimportance of events.

Does anyone really believe that article in the Times was a game changer or that some rock purist actually exists and cites Springsteen as the epitome of a real rocker? Sounds like wannabe crap. Sure the kids are alright. That doesn't make the latest pop star an artist or a genius.

_________________People to whom nothing has ever happened cannot understand the unimportance of events.

Does anyone really believe that article in the Times was a game changer or that some rock purist actually exists and cites Springsteen as the epitome of a real rocker? Sounds like wannabe crap. Sure the kids are alright. That doesn't make the latest pop star an artist or a genius.

Andy Samberg of all people actually sampled that Aphex Twin song last year. Did it better than Kanye, even though I love that Kanye song and have been totally immersed in this album for the past month.

Andy Samberg of all people actually sampled that Aphex Twin song last year. Did it better than Kanye, even though I love that Kanye song and have been totally immersed in this album for the past month.

Ha, weird. Well, Kanye's use of it is sincere at least. It's a pretty genius melody. If Aphex is the originator, props! My favorite Samberg skit is the Ras Trent one I think.

Does anyone really believe that article in the Times was a game changer or that some rock purist actually exists and cites Springsteen as the epitome of a real rocker? Sounds like wannabe crap. Sure the kids are alright. That doesn't make the latest pop star an artist or a genius.

Rock and roll encrypticode. I used to love this shi$. Once hailed as the sure-fire whammo zinger for ending all imaginary thread wars, they've been no match for me since 8th grade advanced math (where I was hailed as the first kid in my middle-school to discover that Rush and Led Zeppelin lyrics were more culturally relevant when played backwards. It was thee game-changer for rock and roll encryticodes of our time).

This one is easy (I've seen Raiders of the Lost Ark like 20 times!).

The number on the left is the amount of promising local bands who will announce their killer last show soon after releasing their first 7".

The number on the right represents the number of sssssick semi-annual "reunion" shows that they will announce in the next half decade

_________________People to whom nothing has ever happened cannot understand the unimportance of events.

Does anyone really believe that article in the Times was a game changer or that some rock purist actually exists and cites Springsteen as the epitome of a real rocker? Sounds like wannabe crap. Sure the kids are alright. That doesn't make the latest pop star an artist or a genius.

Rock and roll encrypticode. I used to love this shi$. Once hailed as the sure-fire whammo zinger for ending all imaginary thread wars, they've been no match for me since 8th grade advanced math (where I was hailed as the first kid in my middle-school to discover that Rush and Led Zeppelin lyrics were more culturally relevant when played backwards. It was thee game-changer for rock and roll encryticodes of our time).

This one is easy (I've seen Raiders of the Lost Ark like 20 times!).

The number on the left is the amount of promising local bands who will announce their killer last show soon after releasing their first 7".

The number on the right represents the number of sssssick semi-annual "reunion" shows that they will announce in the next half decade

It says a lot about a record when it's lowest moment is a guest appearance from Chris Rock. I love Chris rock but his bit doesn't work for me. It's the only part I skip on the record (too long and not very entertaining). Other than that I just keep this one playing 24/7 in the car.

...and I had thought through the first few listens that maybe Pitchfork was just trying to move more product.

Wrong.

Again.

_________________People to whom nothing has ever happened cannot understand the unimportance of events.